In Sanjay Manjrekar’s opinion, India should consider Deepak Hooda for the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. For a stellar IPL season in which he scored 451 runs for Lucknow Super Giants, Hooda received high appreciation from the former India batter.
Hooda didn't get a chance to play in the recent T20I series against South Africa despite his scintillating performance in the IPL 2022. This was due to India having a crowded middle-order where multiple players are vying for a spot in the XI and Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik's powerful comebacks made it a little challenging for Hooda.
However, if Hooda manages to make it to the starting XI, he will have the chance to showcase his talent on the Ireland tour. For Hooda to have a good chance of finding a berth in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup, this tour will be essential.
Manjrekar, however, believes that Hooda should be given a shot in the Ireland series because he put up a brilliant show with the bat for the semifinalists, Lucknow Super Giants, in the IPL 2022.
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In a News18 Cricketnext query during a media interaction conducted by Sony Sports Network, Manjrekar said: “I am expecting him to get a look in this (Ireland) series because I thought we saw the best of Deepak Hooda in this last IPL. He has been around for a long time and you have seen sporadic sort of displays of his work and his ability. The last IPL, he came of age."
Hooda made his debut for the national team earlier this year in ODIs against West Indies, where he played a few significant innings. Additionally, he played in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, where he only had one opportunity to bat but still managed to score 21 runs off of 16 balls.
For Hooda, the IPL 2022 was a turning moment as he got to play in the top order after being backed by his franchise, the Lucknow Super Giants and this led to him making more than 450 runs and four half-centuries in 15 games.
Manjrekar also feels that Hooda can also contribute to the team with his off-spin abilities in crunch situations on a dry pitch.
“You always need guys who can command a place as batter but chip in with a couple of overs. That’s where Hooda on a dry pitch could come to good use," he said.
In order to alter gears in the slog overs with huge hits, the former cricketer supported Hooda to earn a spot in the starting lineup for India's tour of Ireland.
“India needs somebody like him down the order, it’s a very difficult job and Hooda did a terrific job in IPL. He is somebody that India will I am sure look at. If they would not have been part of their plans, so I am hoping that the guys who did really well in that series against South Africa then rested and start looking at these people and give them a long rope," added Manjrekar.
(News18 inputs)
